Nathaniel Black

Nathaniel Black (1755-1812) was a Mohawk-American businessman who fought for the United States during the American War of Independence. Black was responsible for the victory at the Battle of Morristown in 1779, having also funded the Continental Army while it was encamped at Valley Forge.

Early Life
Nathaniel was born to John Black and Nonahkee, of mixed English and Mohawk Iroquois descent. His father was killed in 1758 during the French and Indian War, fighting off a Russian army coming down from Alaska. Black was raised by his mother and his uncle Kanyenke, and was brought into wealth because of his father's mercenary enterprise. Nathaniel was a tribesman of the Mohawk, and in 1775 participated in an attack on the Seneca and some Mohawk, who had sided with Great Britain during the American Revolution. He burnt the Seneca town center, destroying their camp and punishing them. Shortly after, he encountered Hessians in his home town, as his villagers supported the United States. He saved his mother from Colonel Sven Kuechler's troops, as well as many other captured Mohawk, and shortly after, the Iroquois Confederacy broke up.

Continental Service
Black enlisted in the Continental Army in June 1775, and although some were dissatisfied with his mixed descent, he proved an adept commander at the Battle of Bunker Hill. In that battle, he held off Robert Pigot's British landing forces and awaited Israel Putnam's reinforcements, whereupon he retreated. Black went on to serve under General George Washington in the New York Campaign of 1776, and in December, he took part in the Battle of Trenton. Black and Washington destroyed Hessian tents while avoiding the patrol of grenadiers, and shortly after destroying the Hessian base, he allied with the Huron and defeated Charles Mawhood's British rear guard a small distance to the north in the Battle of Princeton. In later 1777 he fought at the Battle of Saratoga, constructing four forts before the British could do so and destroying a bridge across the Hudson River so that Kuechler's reinforcements could not cross to aid John Burgoyne. Nathaniel continued to fight at Brandywine and Germantown, but his most famous accomplishment came at Valley Forge.

Encamped in winter in extremely cold conditions at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the Continental Army had no money to pay its troops or purchase supplies. Black used the Black Family Estate's money to purchase food from the bakers in the area, bringing food in on wagons. When the worst of the winter passed in early 1778, Black and Washington collaborated to destroy Fort Good Hope (Barren Hill), the center of British patrols around the area. Due to Black's costly efforts, the Continental Army survived another winter.

The next year, Black finally received his chance to gain revenge for the attack on his village by defending Morristown from Kuechler's Hessian army. He destroyed the Hessian base before turning to defend Morristown from Kuechler, who was shot by a sniper in an outpost tower. Kuechler's death was all that Black wanted, but instead of taking his leave as Washington permitted, he enlisted for the duration of the war. Black proved his patriotism by continuing to fight at Charleston, Camden, and King's Mountain, and in 1781 took part in the Siege of Yorktown.

During the Yorktown Campaign, Black received the aid of the Marquis de Lafayette in bombarding the British outposts along the York River using Petards (suicide bombers) and the Comte de Grasse's French fleet, boxing Cornwallis in Yorktown. Black in person led the attack on the Royal Welch Fusiliers' redoubt and destroyed the British base, winning the last major campaign of the war.

Postwar Career
Black returned to his village bankrupt, as all of his money had been spent on outfitting the Continental Army and purchasing food from the bakers. He died in 1812 in New York City, and a statue was built to memorialize his life.